A Wedding to Remember
by gothic antagonist
Summary: Going against his better judgement, Max Keenan comes out of hiding to attend his daughter's wedding. Will that mistake end up costing him his life?
1. You Are Cordially Invited

**A/N- **So my first fanfiction for Bonesis a tear-jerker. Usually the ones that I write revolve around B/B, but this one came to me as I was listening to my "House & Wilson 4EVA" playlist. (Don't ask...)

**Summary-** Going against his better judgement, Max Keenan comes out of hiding to attend his daughter's wedding. Will that mistake end up costing him his life?

*****Inspired by a medley of Tim McGraw hits =3

* * *

"So...will you come?"

"To my daughter's wedding?" He leaned back in his chair and switched the phone to his other ear. "Well..."

"Come on, Max. She wants you to be there to give her away. You're her father," he reminded the man. He winked at the anxious woman in front of him.

"Is she there?"

"Yeah."

"Put her on."

He handed the phone to her and smiled. She smiled back as she put the phone to her ear. "Dad?"

"Tempe, why are you marrying the man who arrested me?"

"Because...I love him." She held her partner's hand, slowly intertwining their fingers. "And he loves me too."

"...Oh alright. When do you want me there?"

"The rehearsal dinner is in two weeks."

"Okay, okay. And how is all of this being paid for?"

"We're using the money I have saved from my books." She smiled. "Don't worry about anything, we just want you to be here."

"Is Russ coming?"

"Yes. There are a lot of people coming."

"It's no surprise. They've been waiting for years for you two to get hooked up." He yawned. "Well, I'm gonna go. I'm old, and I need my sleep."

"You're not old, Dad." She smiled again, supressing a laugh. "Okay. I love you."

"Good night, Dad!" Booth said into the phone.

"Well there's something I'll have to get used to," he said, chuckling. "I love you too, Tempe."

"Do you think he'll come?" Booth asked after they had hung up.

"My father may be a criminal, but he is always true to his word." She opened a drawer and began rummaging through it.

"Wow...so this is really happening," he said. He smiled happily as he pulled the covers up to his waist. He looked at the woman he had fallen for many years ago and smiled as if it was all a dream. For a moment, as he watched her change into a silk nightgown, he wondered what he had done in his life to deserve her. Though he came up with nothing, there she was, sitting on the other side of the bed. He crawled across to her and began gently massaging her back. "You're tense, are you okay?"

"I just keep expecting to wake up and find that this is all a dream." She turned to him. "It just seems too...perfect."

He smiled at her. "I was just thinking the same thing." He kissed her head softly and looked into her eyes, moving her hair behind her ear. "But this time, it isn't a dream. I promise."

She nodded. "I love you, Booth," she said as she leaned back into him.

He held her in his arms and smiled, his heart racing as it did every time she touched him. "I love you too, Bones."

* * *

Max turned off the lamp beside his bed, his mind running a mile a minute. He groaned and rubbed his tired eyes. "She's getting married..." He blinked and laid on top of the blanket. "I can't believe...my little girl..."

He looked at the picture under his lamp. It was taken almost five years earlier, when they had had Christmas in jail. He smiled. It was the first time in years that they had felt like a family. To think, the man who made that day so perfect would marry his daughter.

He had to admit that he was pleased. He knew from the moment he had seen them together that there was something deeper between them than it seemed. Booth looked at her with the same sparkle in his eyes that Max had when he looked at his own wife, so he understood the unspoken love, the silent adoration. But even when he had hinted at the possibility, Booth denied it all...

_"Are you sleeping with my daughter?"_

_"No."  
__  
"Why? Are you gay?"_

He chuckled. "It just took you some time," he said to the darkness. He yawned again and rolled over onto his side. "Still...better late than never."

_Someday, some boy will come and ask me for your hand  
But I won't say "yes" to him unless I know  
He's the half that makes you whole, he has a poet's soul  
And the heart of a man's man. I know he'll say that he's in love  
But between you and me, he won't be good enough!_

* * *

**A/N-** The lyrics at the end were from "_My Little Girl_". There will be two more chapters, so keep an eye out for them. Please don't forget to review. **-bows-**


	2. Lost to the Ages

He arrived on an abnormally warm September morning. He lugged his bag off of the plane and passed through the terminal toward the lobby. There he saw a very happy woman and her smiling fiancee, their fingers locked between the other's. Behind them was a man who was talking to the couple. None of them seemed to notice him, which caused a smile to tease the corners of his mouth. "Is this a bad time?"

The woman turned around and smiled. "Dad." She chuckled and hugged him.

"Hey Dad," the other man said, lifting his hand to say hi.

"Ah, so you're practically a Brennan now, you know," Max said to Booth. "How does it feel?"

"Like I'm slowly becoming a criminal." He smiled at the blank stares he was being given from the two men. He turned to his partner and laughed at her angry expression. "I'm kidding! I couldn't be happier," he said, flashing his smile again. His eyes sparkled. "Shall we?" he asked the woman, offering her his arm.

"Fine, but you're driving this time," she chuckled. "I don't think Russ should be behind the wheel."

"Hey, I'm right here, you know!" he protested.

The two laughed and started to walk away, arm in arm. Russ followed, carrying Max's bag over his shoulder. Max, on the other hand, lingered behind and watched them walk away. And for the first time in years, Max Keenan had tears in his eyes.

He wanted to stop time and remember them just like this: carefree, happy, _together_. The soft movement of Joy's- er, Tempe's- hair as they walked, the love in her eyes, the happiness that he had been so afraid she would never find...His little girl had grown up, and it took a wedding for him to realize how truly sorry he was that he hadn't been there for her.

"Dad? Are you alright?" She had turned around without him noticing and was looking worriedly at him.

He blinked the tears back and nodded. "Yeah." Then he walked out of the airport, and into a new morning.

* * *

"Okay, so while Angela throws the craziest bachelorette party ever," Hodgins grinned. "Zack and I came up with an equally crazy party for you."

"Thanks guys, but Jared was already planning-"

"Be at this address," Zack pointed to the card, "at seven."

"No offense, but I really don't want-"

"Don't be late." The two squints smiled and walked away.

Booth shook his head and stuck the card in his pocket. Out of sight, out of mind. "I don't even _want _to know what they have in mind."

"It isn't as bad as you think," said Cam as she walked by.

"Oh really?" he said, following her. "Squints throwing a party?"

"Remember, you're marrying the _head_ squint." She sat at her computer and looked at him. "Oh, and I hear Dr. Brennan's father is in town." Her tone was more concerned than happy.

"Yeah, he flew in yesterday. Bones is spending the day with him doing wedding stuff." He smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, that Max is gone for good."

"I certainly hope so...but still," she smiled, "she must be glad to have him around."

"She is." His phone beeped and he instinctively picked it up. "Booth," he said in his serious F.B.I. tone. Instantly, his expression softened and he smiled at the familiar woman's voice. "Hey, Bones." He listened to her for a moment, his face twisting first into shock, then sadness, then fear. "Hold on, I'll be right there." He hung up, realizing he had tears in his eyes.

The change in his attitude startled Cam. She stood up and touched his arm. "What happened?" she asked gently.

"It's Max...he was shot in the chest..."

* * *

A very frightened bride-to-be and her brother sat outside the operating room. Both pairs of eyes were red from crying. "This is my fault," the woman choked. "He came here because of me..."

"Tempe, you had no way of knowing that this would happen." He held his sister and kissed her head. "It isn't your fault." He looked up just as a doctor left the room where their father was. "Oh, the doctor's out."

The man took off his medical cap and pulled his surgical mask down. "Are you the family?"

"Yes," they said. "How is he?" Russ asked nervously.

"I'm sorry...we were able to remove the bullet...but..." he trailed off.

"But...?"

"He isn't recovering as well as we had hoped."

"What the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?" Russ asked. He held his sister's hand, hoping that it wasn't nearly as bad as he was thinking.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "There's nothing we can do."

Just then, Booth and Cam rushed in. Bones already had tears in her eyes, but when Booth held her tightly in his arms, she allowed herself to cry. Booth looked at Russ, who also looked ready to cry. But he was a man, he held in his sorrow. Cam, not knowing what to do, touched Russ' arm.

"He...he's not going to make it...is he?" Booth asked softly, as if speaking the words too loudly would break the already fragile woman.

She shook her head, clutching the front of his jacket tighter. "The bullet removed a part of his lung," the doctor said. "He probably won't live to see the sun rise tomorrow morning..."

Russ looked at the ground, greatly resembling a punished child. "Can we see him?" he managed to choke out.

"Let us move him to another room, then you may see him." The man disappeared behind the white doors.

Booth sat on the couch and looked up at Bones. She sat next to him, resting her head on his chest. Their hands found each other's, and Bones closed her eyes. "I can't lose him, Booth..."

"I know, Bones..." He looked out the window at the blackened sky. "I know..."

* * *

He opened his eyes halfway, a soft moan escaping his lips. Suddenly he felt another body almost completely on top of his, hair tickling his face and neck. He moaned again and realized the person was crying.

"He's alive." A woman's voice. "I don't believe it." More tears. "Booth. He made it."

"Your father is a strong man," came the familiar voice.

"Dad..." another man said, almost in disbelief.

"Tempe...you're...on my...chest. Can't...breathe..."

The added pressure on him disappeared. He inhaled deeply and smiled -- he was alive. That bullet may have knocked him over, but Max Keenan would not be broken. He opened his eyes fully so he could look at his family.

Tempe was right beside him, as he knew she would be. Her eyes were blood-shot, which meant she had been crying the whole time he was out. She was on the edge of the bed and was crying harder. He reached his hand out to her and held hers. His eyes followed her other arm up to his future son-in-law. He smiled again as he watched the other man try to comfort the woman, a smile brightly shining on _his_ face as well.

Though he would never admit it, he always did like Seeley. He was more than willing to accept him as part of the family. Besides, watching the two of them interact was not only entertaining -- and boy was it entertaining -- it was like watching himself and Ruth.

He looked then to his oldest child. But he couldn't see the man well because the sunlight was shining right in his face. "Someone close those damn blinds, will you?" he croaked. When he could see again, he noticed that his son wouldn't look at him. "What's up with Mr. Sunshine?" he asked, nodding in the man's direction.

"You've been in a coma for three days," she answered softly. "They declared you dead twice."

"It's been difficult to stay positive..." Russ trailed off.

"Well, I'm awake now. And hey, isn't there a wedding or something tomorrow?" Max smiled and slowly sat up. "Help me out of here, would you? I need to get ready. Wouldn't want to be late, you know?"

Tempe blinked. "Dad, you can't leave yet."

"Hey, nobody is going to tell me I can't be there. I'll come back right after the reception."

"But you won't be protected."

"Don't worry about me, it's _your _day. I want to be there for you." He looked into her eyes. "You look just like your mother..."

She smiled sadly. "Dad..."

"I love you, Tempe," he said before he kissed her forehead.

"I love you too." She shook her head and looked at her partner. "Well, there's no use arguing with him. Come on, let's get him out of here."

Booth nodded. "One hospital break, coming right up."

_I went sky-divin', I went Rocky Mountain climbin'  
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fu Manchu  
And man, I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter  
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denyin'  
And he said "Someday I hope you get the chance  
To live like you were dyin'"_

_Like tomorrow was a gift  
And you've got eternity to think about what you'd do with it  
What did you do with it?  
What did I do with it?  
What would I do with it?_

* * *

**A/N-** The above lyrics are from "_Live Like You Were Dyin'_". Two down, one to go. I hope you guys like it so far, I really do...But regardless of whether you like it or not, please review. Thank you. **-bows-**


	3. When One Door Closes

**A/N-** Wow. Thank you all so much for all of your support. I was amazed to find when I logged onto my e-mail that so many of you added my story to your list of alerts and a lot of you also added it as a favorite. That makes me feel so wonderful...sincerely thank you all. Now, unfortunately, I must become the bad guy. I hope you like the way this ends. Oh and I advise those of you who become emotional to grab some tissues or whatever cheers you up. Your emotions will be tested. Thank you again.

**Disclaimer**- I just realized I never did this. Bones does not, and probably never will, belong to me. Neither do the lyrics that I have been using. The storyline is all that belongs to me. And honestly, I am really proud of it, so I don't mind.

* * *

"You look beautiful, sweetie. Simply beautiful."

"Do I?"

"Absolutely," chimed her best friend.

"Ange, the dress isn't even here yet."

"Gown, sweetie. Wedding _gown_." She smiled at her. "And I meant your hair."

"Oh..." The bride-to-be looked out the window at the people below. She paused for a moment, then continued pacing.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know if I can do this, Ange," she said, panic rising in her voice. "I wouldn't be a good enough wife for him. He deserves better than the best...and let's face it, I'm terrible at relationships."

"He deserves _you_," Angela said reassuringly. "Don't worry, cold feet is normal on your wedding day."

"My feet are very warm, actually," she said, cocking her head in confusion.

"No, no. I mean it's natural to want to run away."

"What good would that do? Booth would follow me anyway." She looked out the window again.

"No, that's not what I...oh never mind." She shook her head softly, lifting her glass to her lips.

"Where is my dress?" the bride said again.

"Gown," she corrected again.

"Or if you want to be different, _that bunch of white fabric that every bride obsesses over on a day like this_." Cam smiled and walked over to them. "Wow, you really do look beautiful."

"I don't understand why you two keep telling me this. I'm not wearing my gown yet."

"Sweetie, you don't have to wear it to be beautiful." Ange hugged her panicking friend. "Calm down, everything will be okay."

"I'm not making a mistake?"

"A mistake? Whoa, what did I miss?" Cam blinked. "Don't you want to marry him?"

"Yes. I've never felt anything like the way I feel about Booth. I can't imagine my life without him. But..." She looked out the window a third time, choosing not to finish that sentence.

The two bridesmaids look at each other. Before they can say anything, Tempe suddenly ran out of the room. She returned a few minutes later, an elegant wedding gown cradled safely in her arms. "So? Are you going to help me put this on?"

She didn't really need the help. She knew it and they _certainly_ knew it, but she remembered from Angela's almost-wedding day that having her closest friends help her put the gown on was important not only to the bridesmaids, but to the bride as well.

Compliments flooded between them as they prepared her. Daisy arrived just as Tempe had gotten fully into the gown. Naturally, the young woman was eager to help. Pretty soon the forensic anthropologist was ready, make-up successfully applied and all.

"Wow," Cam breathed, stepping back to get a better look at her employee.

"Wow is right," Angela beamed.

"You're so beautiful!" Daisy gushed.

Tempe couldn't help but smile at her friends. "Can I look now?"

All three nodded vigorously. With a deep breath, she turned around and came face to face with herself, although she didn't look like herself. Her eyes filled with tears. "Is that really...me?" She felt the off-white fabric, her mirror image copying her every move. She lifted her veil and let it fall gracefully in front of her face, a smile painting the finishing touch on her look.

"Oh hang on," Ange said, breaking the tension that had unknowingly risen. "You need something blue." She went through her purse and pulled out a blue flower. She placed it delicately in Tempe's hair and smiled. "That's better."

"Thank you, Angela...for everything." She hugged her, a tear falling silently to the ground.

Ange smiled again and hugged her back. "You're welcome, Bren."

"Wow, that'll be weird, huh? After today, we'll have to call her Dr. Booth instead." Daisy shook her head.

"Are you all decent?" a male voice called from behind the door. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah," Ange said, letting her best friend go. They looked at each other and laughed. Both of them had started crying.

The door opened and in hobbled Max. He took one look at his daughter and his eyes were immediately flooded with tears. "Oh Tempe..."

Angela's eyes met Cam's. Both women nodded and gently pulled Daisy out of the room.

Temperance looked at herself in the mirror again. "It feels like a dream..."

"Yeah, that's how mine and your mother's wedding day felt. I kept wondering when she would wake up and realize she was making a mistake marrying me." He chuckled to himself. "But she never did. She loved me."

"I know..." She breathed deeply. "I just hope I'm not disappointing her."

"You aren't. I know she's smiling, wherever she is." He hobbled over to her and leaned on his cane. "You look so beautiful. Just like she did."

Tears filled her eyes again. "I miss her."

"Tempe...I'm sorry..." Max kissed her head. "I know I haven't been--"

"You are _you_, Dad. That's all you can try to be. I wouldn't trade you for anyone, not even Mom."

He smiled. "Let's go, then." He offered her his arm. "Time for you to be married."

* * *

"I never thought I'd see the day..." Caroline turned around as the bridal party made their way down. "I wonder if they'll really tie the knot."

Music played as Sweets, Daisy, Zack, Cam, Russ, Stacy, Hodgins, Angela, and Jared take their places one-by-one and look up to the doors to the Jeffersonian. They all seem to be holding their breath as the doors slowly open. Parker smiled brightly. "Here she comes!"

Booth tensed, as if afraid to look. His brother patted his shoulder and, with a knowing smile, said "You can do this."

He nodded and inhaled deeply. He looked up at the woman and his heart raced wildly in his chest. "Wow..."

Everyone stood up as a remix of "Here Comes the Bride" started to play. On each face was a mixture of happiness, excitement, and eyes that screamed "Well it's about time".

But Brennan didn't care. Her eyes were locked on the increasingly handsome man that was waiting for her near the pastor. She smiled happily at him, her heart skipping with excitement.

The only one who didn't appear thrilled to death that this day had finally come was the one who was going to give her away. It wasn't that he was unhappy with her decision, or that he wasn't happy for her. He was very happy, in fact, that she had finally found love. But something in the back of his mind was nagging him, telling him that something wasn't quite right.

He looked at his daughter again and for a moment, time stood still. He blinked. She was seven again, looking up at him as if he had just told her he was Superman. And then she was ten, dressed like a pop star and singing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". He smiled as memories of her flooded to him all at once. Through the happy times, the angry times, and the sad times, he was there for her. Until she was fifteen of course, but he didn't want to think about that.

Before he realized it, they were standing before the pastor. "Who gives this woman to this man?" the young pastor said.

Max looked at Tempe with sadness in his eyes. "I do," he said quietly. He lifted her veil over her head and kissed her softly. "I love you," he mouthed.

"I love you too," she said. She turned to her partner with tears of joy in her eyes.

Max, knowing when he was in the way, backed off and sat in the spot that was reserved for him. He cleared his throat and tried to blink the tears back.

"Nice to see you two together again," the pastor said. He smiled.

"Thank you for doing this for us, Ryan," Seeley said.

"It's an honor," he nodded. He lifted his hands toward the people who were seated now. "Friends and family, we are gathered here today to bear witness to the union between Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennan." His smile grew when they all cheered. "Alright, alright. If anyone has a reason why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Both Max and Caroline stood up and surveyed the crowd. Both pairs of eyes glared, almost daring them to say something against the wedding. _Are you really going to be dumb enough to say something NOW? _they seemed to say. When no one spoke, both smiled and sat back down.

The father watched as the pastor spoke, but he heard no words. He was lost in his own thoughts. Tempe when she started school, Tempe when she lost her first tooth, Tempe as a high school student...He closed his eyes and tried to listen, but the buzzing in his ears made hearing anything impossible. His memories began to overwhelm him, drown him in his regrets.

"Seeley, you are the most important man in my life, and you have been for years. I've been so lucky to work alongside you for as long as I have." Temperance looked deeply into his warm brown eyes. "I don't remember when it was that I realized I was in love with you. Perhaps it was when you were shot that night, protecting me. Or maybe it was when you had fallen into that coma after having your brain tumor removed. Whenever it was though, I knew that we were more than "just partners", as we had told so many people. Soon I felt like I needed you, that if you went away, I wouldn't be the same. Every meaningless moment between us suddenly had meaning, and for once in my life, I couldn't explain why." She smiled and took his hands in hers. "I love you, Seeley, and I hope that I can spend the rest of my life trying to make you as happy as you have made me."

Ryan smiled and looked at Seeley. "Do you, Seeley Booth, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? Will you love her, honor her, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do," he said softly.

"And do you, Temperance Brennan, take this man to be your lawfully wedded--"

"I do," she said happily. "Oh right, sorry." She blushed softly.

Ryan chuckled a bit. "Then by the power vested in me by the State of Maryland, I now pronounce you man and wife." He leaned closer to Booth and smiled. "You may kiss the bride."

"Don't have to tell me twice." He smiled and kissed her deeply. Everyone stood and cheered.

Max smiled with tears in his eyes. But then his smile disappeared. He looked off into the distance and noticed a shadowed figure behind a tree. Moving slowly closer, he caught the reflection of sunlight that would've been unnoticeable by others. His heart leapt when he recognized what it was. His eyes followed the nose of the weapon -- right to his daughter's heart.

Time slowed once again. He tried to move as quickly as he could to the unknowing woman. She looked confused when he pushed her and her new husband out of the way. And then, a split second later, the sound of thunder rang through the air.

Max Keenan slowly closed his eyes and exhaled.

_Take the very breath you gave me  
Take the heart from my chest  
I'll gladly take her place if you'll let me  
Make this my last request  
Take me out of this world  
God, please don't take the girl_

* * *

**A/N-** The ending lyrics were from the beautiful song "Don't Take the Girl". Thank you once again to those of you who were kind enough to read this and review it. And I hope you liked the ending, though I would understand it if you don't. I'd also like, should you review my humble story, for you to include whether I should continue writing. I don't really know...it's my life. But I don't know about posting. What do you think? Until next time, fellow fans. **-bows-**


End file.
